NEP Australia’s Second 4K Truck Fired Up for AFL

NEP Australia has launched HD12, the company’s newest 4K super truck, this week, and the truck is already in the swing of things for Seven Network and Fox Sports coverage of Australian rules football from Melbourne’s Etihad Stadium. Initially based in Melbourne, HD12 will service productions around Australia, including major live sports and outside studio broadcasts.

HD12 is the company’s second purpose-built 4K outside-broadcast vehicle and the first to launch in the active Victorian market. It is equal in size, technical capabilities, and work environment to HD11, which NEP launched last August.

Both units are equipped with Sony’s HDC4300 4K and high-speed camera systems, bringing to 50 the number of these camera units in NEP Australia’s fleet and nearly 200 in the NEP worldwide fleet.

“HD12 and HD11 reflect NEP’s investment in the Australian market and determination to provide our clients with unrivaled production capabilities,” says NEP Australia President Soames Treffry. “HD13 and HD14 will launch early next year, ready for the 2017 AFL and NRL seasons and further enhancing the NEP Australia fleet.”

The NEP Australia team with the company’s latest addition: HD12

According to NEP Australia Project Director Milan Milenkovic, HD12 also has some refinements over HD11 that, coupled with the Sony cameras, make it a top choice for clients.

Along with sister truck HD11, HD12 is the largest OB unit in Australia with a maximum-length trailer that also has full-length double expanding sides, creating more than 65 sq. meters of interior space. It can seat up to 34 production staffers and has a main gallery with 13 seats. In addition, it has nine EVS operator positions, room for seven camera shaders, three audio-control positions, and more. It also has 90 kW of cooling designed for the extreme Australian climate.

Technical highlights include the new NEP-designed touchscreen with completely configurable control panels; a Sony MVS8000X production switcher; an Imagine hybrid router with 502 inputs, 824 outputs, and 22 multiviewers; control of up to 28 Sony HDC4300 4K and high-speed cameras and 10 POV or specialty cameras; and 10 12-channel EVS machines with 10-Gbps networking. Other capabilities include a Lawo Mc56 MK2 audio mixer with 64-fader panel featuring PAT-supplied audio console and Reidel 192×192 intercom.

Sister trucks HD13 and HD14 are now in the coach-build stage at Smiths in the UK.